AARP said the new plan will shorten the life of Medicare, hike premiums for older workers, and risk seniors’ ability to live independently ― all the while giving tax breaks to big drug companies and health insurers. The GOP has countered by insisting that Obamacare is failing and going to collapse.

1. Premiums will go up significantly for older people.

Medicare kicks in at age 65. Those who are in their 50s and early 60s are the bologna in the sandwich when it comes to health coverage. They are too young to be eligible for Medicare and too old to be considered young and healthy ― which makes them less attractive to private insurers. Older people are more prone to illness and require more medical care.

Currently, the most an insurance company can charge an older worker is three times whatever younger workers are being charged in a scale that is age-rated. Under Trumpcare, that ceiling jumps to five times.

2. Nursing home assistance will no longer be a sure thing.

The average nursing home in California costs $91,250 a year for a shared room, according to Genworth. Once in the nursing home, the patient must spend down his or her assets to the level where Medicaid ― the federal health plan for low-income people ― kicks in to subsidize the stay.

While Obamacare gives states the money to pay for all those who are eligible for Medicaid services, Trumpcare does not. The GOP plan instead will give states a block grant ― a lump sum per person ― and allow each state to decide how to spend it. This means that states will have to choose who they want to help between the most costly consumers of health care: older people and children.

That’s where younger adults come in: Who will care for the elderly when they can no longer care for themselves? Family caregivers, that’s who.

3. Companies will no longer be mandated to offer health insurance to workers.

Untethering health insurance from our jobs may not be the worst thing that could happen ― if meaningful safeguards are in place. But that’s a big caveat.

The ACA protected people with pre-existing conditions. Under the GOP’s replacement plan, insurers still have to cover pre-existing conditions, but they can charge more for people who are recently uninsured.

4. Early retirement could become a thing of the past.

People retire early ― before they reach full retirement age as defined by Social Security ― for many reasons that include having to take care of an elderly parent or sick spouse, having health issues themselves, or simply losing their jobs and not being able to find another one.

The ability to find affordable health insurance under the ACA has made retiring early a possibility for those who need to. The Republican plan could shut the door on that.

For now, all eyes are on the House budget committee, which will combine the two individual bills pending into one piece of legislation that will eventually go on to a full vote on the House floor. This is scheduled for Thursday.

The budget committee cannot make substantive changes to the legislation’s content but can recommend amendments for the House rules committee to consider.